Struggle to make dinner for fear of falling asleep in the cooking pot? What’s that on my face?

Can’t put two words together? All. ____ . Time.

I’m tired and cranky — a lot — and sometimes, I wonder how I’m going to get through the day. Visions of skipping around with a child holding a balloon quickly dissipates after a few dodgy night’s sleep. Instead, I end up snapping at everyone and everything in my path. What I’ve found to be most helpful is to be brutally honest, with myself and my children. I’ve discovered my children to be truly compassionate and understanding.

Dr Tired and Cranky tips:

If you are short with your child, make sure they know you are not angry with them.

Be prepared to say sorry.

On really tired and cranky days, just do the basics around the house.

Have a pick-me-up. On a extra-tired day (okay, almost everyday) I stop at a drive-through Zarraffa’s for coffee.

Kelly loves life at both ends of the spectrum: wearing high heel shoes one day and hiking boots the next; sipping tea out of a pretty cup and slurping hot coffee from a camping mug; challenging herself physically and stopping for quiet unhurried moments to feel the wind on her face. Kelly and her husband Matthew seek to live a fun and adventurous life with their four children and pet bird.

Just found your blog thanks to Blog This.
love your tips in this post. I have a stockpile of frozen leftovers and meals in the freezer for these occasions – which seem to be more often than not at the moment due to pregnancy.
I find it helps me to have a shower asap in the morning (i used to wait until my son was having a nap). And get out of the house…. if I can be bothered.

LOL. I am the queen of tired and cranky as of late because I have only 5 weeks to go in pregnancy, never sleep more than 2 hours straight because i am so uncomfortable and then when I finally fall asleep I am woken up by my little one yanking at my hair and saying “Up mama! Up!”. x

Kelly, I really needed this post today of all days – you must have known it was just the perfect day to post about lack of sleep!

Last night/this morning saw Marc and I with one hysterical, inconsolable almost two year old, who had vommited in his bed, had a high temp and a nasty (but not unusual!) bout of hives (damn you, new awesome park!!!). I got pretty juch no sleep from 1am onwards and Marc had perhaps a little more than that The worst part (conveniently forgetting that we didn’t go to bed until 11pm..!)? We still have to get up early and take care of the other two children and go to work etc etc – no time to catch up on much needed sleep today! All I want is CHOCOLATE and the child who doesn’t like to sit and watch ABC2, to SIT AND WATCH ABC2 for just an hour!!!

I had to comment on this post…because i can sooo relate. I am tired a lot of times and get short with my little boys at times…and when I have a melt down in front of them I feel sooo awful, but then I apologize to them say I’m having a bad day and need to lay down. will you excuse Mommie for a few minutes…then I go to my room and have a good cry…and then I feel better….but I think they may already think Mommie is crazy….no just tired.

Kelly I had to google “Be a fun mum Dr Grumpy” to find & reread this post because I went off the deep end while cooking dinner & had a big huge yelling, screaming & even hitting fight with my 7.5year old. I needed to reread the suggestions you made & also see that I am not the only tired & cranky mum about (have a supermum SIL!). Facepalm! Don’t cook dinner during witching hour, after being out after school, when hubby isn’t home & baby is having her first solids & toddler isnt 100% chaos will & did reign supreme! Toddler didn’t eat her dinner, mine is sitting getting cold while I breastfeed & 7 year old would have been happy with rice bubbles!

Oh honey… sounds like a stressful afternoon! I’ve had many the same. I was just thing yesterday about something you touched on here. It’s rarely just one thing that makes for a really feral time. It’s usually a combination of things… like the ones you mentioned…. I feel a post coming on lol. I hope you are feeling better today.